A Random CrowxLeaf Fanfic
Just your average CrowxLeaf fanfic. Not as much fluff as some other stories I've read, but still some. Sorry if you don't like it, but it's my first fanfic and also the first fanfic on this website, so we all have to start somewhere. Warning: If you hate the Crow+Leaf=Jay theory, or any kind of CrowxLeaf fanfic, this story is not for you. Snowbird23 19:04, 1 July 2008 (UTC) Story Chapter 1 Leafpool was busily sorting herbs for the journeying cats, who were set to leave the next morning. How she would get all the herbs ready for 12 cats by dawn was some wonder! And to make matters worse, Daisy's kits, Rosekit and Toadkit, had gotten into her stores earlier so everything was mixed up! Leafpool heard footsteps approaching her den, and, thinking it was Brightheart returning with the marigold she had sent her out to get a while back, called, "Come in, just a moment," and went back to sorting herbs. When she had finished that pile she turned around to get the marigold and found to her surprise that it was not Brightheart, but Crowfeather, looking a bit embarrassed, but all the same had an air of urgency about him. A million emotions ran through Leafpool, but she managed to ask calmly, "What are you doing up, Crowfeather?" Good cover, she thought, for it was well past moonhigh, now almost dawn. "I need to talk to you, Leafpool," he murmured in a tone that sent shivers up Leafpool's spine. "You may not remember this," he went on, "but a long time ago, you said there was something you needed to tell me. What was it that was so urgent then?" Leafpool racked her brain, then remembered a conversation, so many moons ago, and the how it had ended. "You didn't want to know then! You said there was nothing we needed to talk about! Why are you bringing it up now?" "Because, I kept thinking about it and decided that you wouldn't hunt me down just to say hi. There must have been something you wanted to say to me! Is it still important?" Crowfeather asked, desperation in his eyes. "Oh, believe me, Crowfeather," said Leafpool softly and sadly at the same time, "it is more important now than ever." "Well?" he prompted. Leafpool glanced out the opening of her den. The sun had risen now, and golden rays of sunlight were poring slowly into the hollow through the trees. Well, here goes, Leafpool thought. "Crowfeather, when I said that, so many moons ago, I… I was-" "Crowfeather?" Leafpool heard Squirrelflight call. "We need to go over our traveling plans with you!" "Get out, now!" Leafpool hissed at Crowfeather. "But-" "Go!" "Good-bye, Leafpool," Crowfeather said. "Good-bye, Crowfeather, have a safe journey." Crowfeather threw one longing glance over his shoulder, then sped out of her den to meet Squirrelflight. Leafpool sighed to herself, thinking. Five seconds later she sat bolt upright and looked around wildly. The traveling herbs! She began thrusting everything together, but all the while thinking about how her words had haunted Crowfeather for so long. Yeah, I know, fluffy, but it will get better. And, just in case you don't know the journeying cats are the ones going to the mountains in Outcast. Chapter 2 Five minutes later Leafpool woke Jaypaw up to help her, whom had thankfully slept through her whole conversation with Crowfeather. For some reason Jaypaw seemed distant, but who was Leafpool to talk? All she could think about was Crowfeather, and wondering if he was thinking about her too. Leafpool snapped Jaypaw out of his reverie, then told him to start distributing the herbs to the cats who would be going to the mountains. "Don't you want to do that?" Jaypaw asked. (quoted from Outcast, pg 144) She snapped back at him a lame excuse of checking herbs one more time. She felt sorry for snapping at Jaypaw, but Leafpool did not feel like seeing Crowfeather right now. She probably wouldn't be able to contain herself and start talking to him, and in front of all those cats, too! Jaypaw left, grumbling, and finally Leafpool was alone. Maybe I should of told Crowfeather really quickly, Leafpool thought. After all, he really wanted to know, and know I won't see him for at least a moon. It'll probably drive him crazy. Serves him right for taking Nightcloud as a mate. Yeah, this will be my revenge for that. But seriously, I don't think I could ever tell him my secret. It's been kept way too long. I don't think I could of told him even if Squirrelflight hadn't interrupted. Lost in thought, Leafpool started fiddling with random leaves lying on the ground, wishing that with the right combination of herbs and berries, her life would be perfect, and secret would be out, but it'd be okay because medicine cats could now have kits, and Crowfeather would be in ThunderClan and Nightcloud would disappear and- "What are you doing? Do you want me to take some herbs with me?" (quoted from Outcast, pg 147) Jaypaw had returned. Great StarClan, I must look stupid, playing with leaves that don’t do anything, Leafpool thought. Then she remembered that Jaypaw was blind, but was still moderately embarrassed. "What? Oh, no- there's no point in doing that. They'd be a nuisance to carry every day, and you don't know what you'll need," Leafpool said. (quoted from Outcast, pg 147) There, I sound almost sane, she thought. "But I have no idea which herbs grow in the mountains."(quoted from Outcast, pg 148) Leafpool scraped dirt over her pile of leaves and told him that Stoneteller would help him once he got there, and besides, he wouldn't be in the mountains most of the way. Then she quickly changed the subject. "Come on, Jaypaw, don't just stand there. Eat your own herbs." (quoted from Outcast, pg 148) She pushed them towards him. Jaypaw lapped them up and made a face. "You'll be glad of them once you get going," Leafpool said harshly. "You're lucky to be going on this journey at all," (quoted from Outcast, pg 148) she said, thinking that was only for her, anyway, that he and his littermates were going. Jaypaw didn't say anything; just sulked. "You'll find the mountains fascinating," Leafpool continued, recovering from her small embarrassment. "You should take the chance to learn all you can about them." (quoted from Outcast, pg 148) Just then Brambleclaw called Jaypaw to get ready to leave. "Coming!" Jaypaw yelled back. "Aren't you coming to say good-bye?" he asked Leafpool. (quoted from Outcast, pg 149) Leafpool mangaged to stammer out something about already saying it. Well, at least, to Crowfeather, she thought, but he was all that mattered to her right then. Jaypaw said good-bye and started to walk out of the den. But he seemed to sense her sadness, and rushed back and buried his nose in the fur of her shoulder. "Good-bye," he said, "I'll have lots to tell you when I get back." (quoted from Outcast, pg 149) Leafpool told Jaypaw good-bye, and licked his ear tenderly. Brambleclaw called for Jaypaw again, and he left. Leafpool sat thinking for a second. She knew she should be more careful in the future, for she had let slip a lot of motherly affection. But, the thing was, Jaypaw seemed to accept it without question, like it was natural. Of course, it was, but he didn't (or shouldn't) know why. It seems like it would faze him just a bit. She was sitting there pondering this for a moment when Squirrelflight slipped in. Gosh, I'm almost dying from all the fluff. How can I hate it so much if I write it all the time?? And, man, Leafpool can ramble. Ah, well. And I am never quoting again. Takes way to much time. And for some reason the reflist isn't working but all the quotes come from Chapter 13 of Outcast. Chapter 3 "Look, Leafpool, I know something is up. Crowfeather seemed pretty weird this morning, even for him. And, when I called him up at dawn, he came from the direction of your den." Squirrelflight hissed the moment she was inside the den. Leafpool stood up, insulted. "That's also the direction from the warrior's den. He could have been sleeping there." "Yes, but Crowfeather wasn't sleeping in the warrior's den, he was sleeping outside on the other side of the hollow!" Leafpool sat back down again, defeated. Squirrelflight suddenly sounded more tired. "You didn't do anything that would make me cover up for another one of your kits, would it?" she asked evasively. "What? Ew, gross, no!" Leafpool cried indigently. "All we did was talk! And… well, I almost told him our secret." "What?!? Wait, you said almost though, right? What happened?" "You called him in to talk about travel plans. Anyways, I was going to tell him when Jaypaw was first born, but then he lays it on me that he mated with Nightcloud (I mean, Nightcloud, seriously!), but then you already know that, of course, but anyways, so I ended up not telling him!" "Oh, Leafpool, I'm sorry." Leafpool sighed. "It's okay. I don't think I would've had the guts to say it anyway." "Squirrelflight? We need to go, now!" Brambleclaw's call sounded from across the hollow. "'Bye, Leafpool. I hope this all straightens out," Squirrelflight said, touching noses with her sister. "Me too. Good-bye, Squirrelflight, have a safe journey." "'Bye!" Squirrelflight called over her shoulder as she joined the others. Leafpool sat for a minute, then followed her sister and watched them go, one lean, dark gray shape in particular. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About two moons later, they returned. Sadly (for Leafpool, not for the travelers- they were kind of fed up with him) Crowfeather was not with them; they had dropped him off at the WindClan camp. Leafpool was happy to see Jaypaw again, who seemed as grumpy as ever. It had been a little boring without him there to mope and complain about every small task. She was interested in hearing about Jaypaw's story, but she had recently become obsessed with finding a way to tell Crowfeather about his son. She wasn't sure about Jaypaw though. Something told her he wouldn't take it as kindly as Crowfeather, and she was pretty sure Crowfeather wouldn't take it that well. I'll tell him when he gets his medicine cat name, Leafpool promised herself. Hallelujah for short chapters. And did any of you notice how the writing stlye changed? I didn't mean to... Again, ah, well. And really, I do believe that if the Crow+Leaf=Jay theory is right, Leafpool will tell Jaypaw when he becomes Jayfeather. Chapter 4 At the next Gathering, Leafpool decided to seek out Crowfeather and tell him about Jaypaw. No beating around the bush, she thought. Just tell him! However, WindClan arrived late, and Leafpool didn't even see him before the Gathering started. After Firestar gave his report (the travelers returning, Millie giving birth to her kits, and Poppyfrost, Cinderheart, and Honeyfern becoming warriors), Onestar stepped forward. "I'm afraid I have some sad news," he began. "Our deputy, Ashfoot, has died of greencough." Before he finished speaking, many cats yowled in protest; Ashfoot would be greatly missed. "I wonder who the new deputy is," commented Brakenfur, who was sitting beside Leafpool. When Onestar and the other leaders finally got the Clans under control, Onestar announced, "Crowfeather is the new deputy of WindClan." ~*~*~*~ Crowfeather?!? Whispered murmmers were echoing throughout the clearing; some supportive but most confused. "The hero from the sun-drown place!" "Yeah, he'll do, I guess..." "What, that grumpy old badger?" Leafpool silently glared at the cat who had uttered the last statement, but then froze when she heard Webfoot's carrying whisper to his ShadowClan neighbor, "Yes, I know, I warned Onestar not to pick him. You just can't have a deputy that ran off with the ThunderClan medicine cat. But no, Onestar insisted he could trust him, that all that was in the past and it would never happen again. Well, I say otherwise. I-" he cut off ubrubtly when Tornear flicked his tial over Webfoot's ear; Onestar had started talking again, this time about good hunting and other things. Meanwhile, Leafpool stared straight ahead, somehow managing to find Crowfeather and catch his eye. She tried to put a lot of unspoken things into her stare- how proud she was, how she didn't care he was a grumpy old badger, that she loved him- he had looked away. The other leaders continued on with their reports; the cats that had returned from the mountains were fine, a ShadowClan queen named Snowbird's kits had been born, and that a couple of rouges had been scented on WindClan's territory. Leafpool did not see Crowfeather again as the Clan's drifted off of the island, and WindClan and ThunderClan did not travel together back to their camps. Okay, I have a lot to say... First of all, Sorry it took me so long to update it. Second, A lot of you probably guessed the new deputy was Crowfeather (subtley has never been one of my strong characteristics...) Third, liked how I snuck Snowbird in there? Fourth, Hoped you liked it! Fifth, Please Review my fic on the discussion page!!! Sixth, Ah, there's nothing else to say... Chapter 5 About a moon later, Firestar called Leafpool into his den. "Yes, Firestar?" Leafpool asked as she walked into her father's den. "I'm a bit concerned about Jaypaw's training, Leafpool. I think it's due to end soon. He's been an apprentice for more than 10 moons. His brother and sister have already become warriors, and I try to make sure that siblings get their warrior name (or medicine cat name) around the same time." Firestar was right, Leafpool realized, but she still shrugged, not meeting Firestar's eyes. She had purposely put off his medicine cat ceremony ever since she made the promise to herself to tell Jaypaw her secret when he got his name. "I understand if you have your reasons, Leafpool. You know how his training is going far better than I do," Firestar said gently. "But I have noticed that he's not the ill-tempered, scrawny young cat that he was when he first started his apprenticeship." "Of course, Firestar," Leafpool said, raising her eyes to look at him. "You're right. I'll have the ceremony the next time we go to the Moonpool, in a quarter-moon." He nodded, sastified, and she backed out of his den. When she got to her own den, Jaypaw, who Leafpool thought had been asleep, popped his head up and asked, "What did Firestar want?" Leafpool didn't feel like telling him. "Oh, nothing that important." "Oh." Jaypaw set his head back down, clearly disappointed at this lack of gossip. "Don't worry, it's good news," she said, suddenly feeling sorry for him. "About your medicine cat ceremony." "I wasn't worried," Jaypaw meowed grumpily. But Leafpool could tell his mood improved a bit after that. ~*~*~*~ One clear morning, a quarter-moon later, Leafpool was pacing in her den, thinking. How could she possible tell Jaypaw that she was his mother? That everything he had known before was a lie? That she was a disgrace to ThunderClan, the runaway medicine cat who had turned her back on her duties? Leafpool had thought of about a million ways to tell her son the truth; all more ridiculous than the other, and all ending with Jaypaw never speaking to her again and her growing to be an alone, little old medicine cat with 20 cats- wait, she was a cat… She finally gave up, hoping that it would just come out naturally in a way that didn't make her seem like a horrible code-breaker. She started sorting herbs again, then stopped with a paw frozen in midair. Jaypaw's warrior name! Leafpool had completely forgotten. She listed her options: Possible Medicine Cat Names for Jaypaw *Jaytail……Ew. *Jayeyes…..He does have eyes the color of a Jaybird, but it doesn't sound right. *Jaypelt…...Doesn't make sense. *Jaytail…....What? *Jayheart….So-So; but I'm not sure Jaypaw would like that name. *Jaynose…..What in the name of StarClan? Why can't I find a frickin' name? She thought about Crowfeather instead. How did he get his warrior name again? Oh yes. Feathertail. Such a sweet she-cat. And it was pretty darn romantic when Crowfeather named himself after her. Can't see Jaypaw doing that for anyone- Leafpool froze. Jayfeather! Why didn't she think of it before? Named in honor of his father, but cats wouldn't think that! Well, maybe some cats in ThunderClan would, but she didn’t care. Maybe they'd be stupid enough to think it came out of the blue, or that it was in honor of Feathertail. That figured out, Leafpool started worrying about everything else that could possibly go wrong. Yeah, I know, filler chapter. but more tomorrow, if I can find the time. Okay I added more. I was kinda hyper when I wrote this... Sorry if frickin is a cuss word in your standards. But it is still a filler chapter. More Coming Soon